fellowshippers | (no subject)

Title: The Signs of the Zodiac 11/12
Pairing: Bean/Orlando, Dom/Billy
Rating: R
Disclaimer: Not mine, never happened.
Summary: Orlando's life goes through quite a bit in the course of twelve months.
Notes: So, thanks to

captnobvious and

beizy for hand-holding in the early days and to

shaenie who completely ripped the first draft of this apart. Many thanks. Couldn't have done it without you. Previous parts can be found here.

SAGITTARIUS

December 8th

Orlando found out that two weeks of persistent phone calls to your ex-boyfriend would get your number blocked. He then found out that ringing from a third party’s line repeatedly would also get that number blocked. It was a very lengthy, intricate process. Orlando wasn’t really surprised, though. He had a pretty clear idea of exactly what he would have done if he’d ever caught Sean snogging Viggo on the side.

It wasn’t a pretty picture.

“Are we unable to call Sean now?” Billy asked as he dropped piles of napkins around the tables. Orlando was helping set up for Dom’s birthday…if by ‘helping,’ you meant using their phone to make harassing phone calls.

“Sorry,” Orlando sighed, and winced a little. Billy gave him a tired look, but Orlando perked up a little. “Can I use your mobile?”

“No,” Billy answered with a grunt and escaped into another room to grab more party decorations. Dom passed him on his way out to set down plastic cutlery and glasses. When Dom sighted Orlando, he gave a little shake of his head.

Dom moved around the room, apparently oblivious to the way Orlando’s eyes kept tracking him. Dom eventually turned around and used a plastic fork to point at Orlando. Orlando hopefully opened his mouth.

“Can I use your…”

“No,” Dom cut him off flatly and threw a plastic cup at him.

“Hey!” Orlando protested as it hit his nose. Dom grinned wickedly -- Probably proud of his aim, the bastard, Orlando thought, internally rolling his eyes -- and moved off into another room, leaving Orlando alone to pout. He toyed with the arm of the couch and forced himself not to find a payphone nearby and use that instead.

He wondered briefly how many people were going to be at the party tonight, and for a moment – a delightful, ecstatic, short moment – Orlando considered the idea that Sean might have been invited as well. Person to person always worked better for explanations, and Orlando knew he could use words to win Sean back. Maybe…depending on how much Sean drank, of course. The dependant variable of the equation was the amount of alcohol imbibed.

Luckily, Billy was willing to booze anyone up for a good cause.

Or so, Orlando figured. After all, at Craig’s party he’d done such a good job, even Chris Lee got pissed. Orlando was definitely going to use this talent to his advantage. As for the moment, there really was nothing to do except find out where Dom and Billy had gone. They found Orlando before he could even attempt to find them. Dom was taking the mobile from Billy when they entered.

“Yeah,” Dom was saying, “…come by. The sooner the…”

Orlando sat up straight, curiosity roused. He tilted his head to the side and disappointment coursed through him when he realized he’d missed Billy’s bit in the conversation. Orlando fell back on the satisfying plan of pestering them until he found out what was going on.

“Who was that?” Orlando asked, hoping to sound as persuasive as possible.

“Elijah,” Dom replied. Orlando’s hopes fell. “Don’t look so pathetic, or I’ll tell Elijah how you reacted,” Dom threatened with a teasing jut to his chin. Orlando pleaded, using his patented puppy-dog eyes (known for getting him out of a tight spot while simultaneously endearing him to small children). After a moment, Dom visibly relented. “All right, fine, but no more of this sad moping about in my presence.”

“He’s coming here now?” Orlando managed to keep the utter disappointment out of his voice.

“Just to discuss some matters,” Billy filled in cryptically.

“Guys, I said I was sorry.” Orlando found he was whining a little bit. “I want to know!”

“It’s nothing to worry your pretty little head over,” Dom said, his tone placating enough to make Orlando grimace irritably. He glanced at Billy – no help there – and then turned back to Dom.

“Have you forgotten that I’m a hurt person?” he muttered, crossing his arms as he slumped into the couch.

“Yes, poor Orlando,” Dom said tonelessly, “had to, absolutely had to get it on with Craig.”

“Sean walked in!” Orlando reminded them, his voice sounding a bit out of control, even to his own ears, and yet, the looks of calm patience on both Billy and Dom’s faces remained intact. They had to know something.

“Rest, young one,” Billy patted his shoulder. “We’ll take care of everything.”

Orlando slouched down into the couch further, watching the hands on the clock tick. Dom and Billy continued to set everything up, and eventually someone burst through the door with more exuberance than anyone really ought to have, but was typical of Elijah.

“I’m here! I didn’t miss anything, did I? I came as fast as I could, and I even sped a little on the way here, and I think I just narrowly avoided a cop, because oh shit…he was on a motorcycle, and I thought of Terminator and…” He stopped to breathe, and giggled nervously. “Hi guys.” He waved a little. Only Elijah could ramble in such perfect form, Orlando reflected.

“Please slow down,” Orlando begged.

The doorbell rang while Elijah was in the middle of stuttering a guilty and enthusiastic retort. Dom took it upon himself to meet and greet the guests – and, of course, be there to accept all the gifts he possibly could – which left the rest of them to conversation.

“Well, did I miss anything?” Elijah asked again.

Billy nodded towards Orlando, and then coughed a little. “Not yet.”

Elijah nodded. He grabbed a beer and took a tentative sip while Orlando cleared his throat. Billy seemed to be inspecting the ceiling.

“Would someone say something? I don’t recall you lot becoming mimes in the last few minutes,” Orlando begged, and thanked the heavens when Dom rejoined them. The house was now beginning to fill with people and the door had been left open to allow people to simply mingle in. “What’s going on? Is anyone here yet?”

“I’m here,” Dom settled to say. “How’s that?”

“Well, it’s a disappointment, but we can work with it.” Billy’s mouth quirked into a smirk and he raised a cool eyebrow in Dom’s direction. One of Dom’s hands rose in a trajectory to smack Billy. “Don’t forget, you can’t hurt me until I give you your special birthday gift!”

“Ooh!” Dom’s eyes lit up. “When’s that?”

Billy leaned in and whispered – cupping a hand around Dom’s ear, presumably for privacy. Dom’s face grew brighter and brighter as Billy kept whispering.

“Really?” Dom’s voice squeaked with excitement. “You bought them?” he hissed with mischief.

Billy nodded, and Dom’s feet were nearly dancing now. Orlando couldn’t help but smile at their antics. When Orlando turned to make a deprecating comment to Elijah, he found him gone.

“Where’s he gone?” Orlando frowned, and turned to look Dom and Billy. Billy had slipped off into the crowd. “Are you lot trying to tell me something?” Orlando sniffed his shirt in befuddlement.

“They’re taking care of some things,” Dom said, nodding along with the beat. “Come on,” he grinned, pulling Orlando to his feet. “Dance with me!”

Orlando glanced around the party one last time, hoping for a flash of blond hair. It was possible that he’d never get the chance to eve try to mend things with Sean, and that idea made Orlando’s stomach sink like it contained lead weights.

“Dance?” Dom inquired sweetly, pulling at Orlando’s hands again.

“On one condition,” Orlando said evenly, locking eyes with Dom.

“What?”

“Make me forget.”

Dom paused as though contemplating Orlando’s request, and then nodded. He gave a final tug that pried Orlando from the couch, and lead him over to the impromptu dance floor.

“Not that I’ve come in possession of an amnesia ray in the last…”

“Dom, shut up and dance.”

Billy peeked out into the crowded main area and saw that Dom had lured Orlando onto the dance floor – a place where it was too noisy and crowded for anyone to notice anything; or in this case, anyone. Elijah paced back and forth, turning to Billy every now and again while biting his nails.

“Did you?” Billy finally asked.

“Yeah,” Elijah nodded, “we talked.”

“And is he willing…?”

“Not really,” Elijah admitted.

Billy sighed and mentally considered their options. He peeked out the door again and noted that while most people were entering the party, one particular soul seemed to be geared up to be leaving. What worried Billy was the way that Orlando was heading towards the front door as well – laughing a little at something Dom was saying.

“Hold on,” Billy spoke slowly as he held up a finger. “We might have a situation,” he warned Elijah. Elijah hopped to his feet and pressed against Billy at the door to get a better view. “Oh shite,” Billy swore. Orlando and their ace in the hole appeared to be on a collision course. He pulled to open the door completely and save the situation, but Elijah’s arm kept it shut. “What are you doing?” Billy asked in disbelief.

“No.” Elijah shook his head, unable to take his eyes off the situation. “Let it happen.”

Billy stared at Elijah uncertainly, marveling at what seemed to be genuinely twisted logic from Elijah. Yet something froze him in place, and he allowed it to happen.

Orlando took a deep breath of fresh air, and for a moment, he considered going back inside to either grab a drink or ask Elijah for a clove to smoke. The breeze on the air made it seem like a night to indulge in addictions. He settled for sticking his hands into his pockets and wandering around the front porch, content to watch his breath drift up into the air and be lost in the atmosphere.

When the cold night finally began to nip at his senses in an effort to turn him into an icicle, he decided to move his private party of one back inside. He walked across the porch, but when he reached for the handle, it turned all on its own, and he was abruptly confronted with the sight of the person he’d really been looking for all night.

“Sean,” Orlando raised his voice hopefully and backed up a step, not wanting to crowd him. “You’re here!” his face – he was quite aware – had to be looking quite hopeful, and Sean looked quite awkward.

“I came to wish Dom a happy birthday,” Sean said evenly. “I…I should be on my way Orlando.”

The way he said it made Orlando cringe. His name on Sean’s tongue sounded like it belonged to a stranger. Sean began to turn away, but Orlando grabbed the sleeve of Sean’s shirt. Sean stopped and regarded Orlando, his expression darkening.

“I just need to tell you something,” Orlando said quickly, and carefully removed his hand.

“Quickly,” Sean nodded.

“I don’t feel anything for Craig,” Orlando explained, his voice sounding raw and desperate. Sean’s face softened a little, and it gave Orlando incentive to continue. “Not the way I love you. I do, and I want to get a second…”

A car honked from the nearby street, interrupting Orlando. Sean cast his head downwards, looking embarrassed. Orlando peered at the car in confusion and saw a good-looking guy behind the wheel.

“Is that…?” Orlando began, but found he couldn’t finish the question.

“I just met him the other week,” Sean responded, sounding more uncomfortable than Orlando had ever heard him. “I understand what you’re saying,” Sean went on, and looked Orlando in the eye. After a beat, he gave a nod. “I’ll think about it.”

Sean hurried down the steps. Orlando waved a little as Sean got into the car and drove away. Orlando listened to the last four words that Sean had said echoing in his brain, and he stored them away so he could listen to them again and again.

Sometimes, there was hope.

tbc